Is this the realization of science fiction, or merely a reflection of our current anxieties?
Article by Paco Baca.
The mystery surrounding the strange drones over New Jersey intensifies with the emergence of new UFO footage.
In 1938, the actor Orson Welles incited widespread panic with a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ alien invasion novel «The War of the Worlds.» This production featured simulated news broadcasts, sound effects, and actors portraying government officials and reporters. It also shifted the location of the first Martian landing from England to New Jersey.
In mid-November, my thoughts turned to the influx of unmanned aerial vehicles—drones—filling the skies of the Garden State. They were particularly noticeable near or above sensitive locations, including the private golf club and residence of President-elect Donald Trump in Bedminster.
Initially seeming like a mass hallucination, the situation gained momentum when local officials, such as Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen. Andy Kim, called for a more robust federal response. Sen. Kim even shared footage that may (or may not) depict drones. Additionally, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan recently stated that he had «personally witnessed» what appeared to be drone activity.
Reasons for Doubt
Online investigators, followed by a «Community Note» on Hogan’s post on X, contended that the bright lights in the ex-governor’s post were in fact the Orion constellation. New York Post journalist Steven Greenstreet agreed with this assessment, noting that flight data from the time Hogan supposedly recorded the video indicated three planes in the vicinity of his location. Kim, expressing bipartisan dissatisfaction with the federal reaction, joined local police and subsequently shared on X that «the majority of the potential drone sightings reported to me were likely airplanes.»
An online video that has been shared thousands of times depicts airliners on their final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, just outside of Washington D.C.
Adam Kinzinger, a former congressman and decorated military pilot, stated on what was once known as Twitter: «I have yet to see a single ‘drone’ video that isn’t a plane or something that can be explained.»
This does not eliminate the possibility that some of the lights seen flying in various states were drones. According to a recent update in regulations by Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, flying drones at night is now legal.
The Confusing Federal Directive
The intriguing prospect of legally flying drones in the United States, including at night but not over specific military installations or other areas with designated restricted airspace, and only below an altitude of 400 feet, contributes to the federal government’s dilemma.
Facing bipartisan criticism for the ambiguous communication from Washington, the White House coordinated a phone briefing over the weekend with representatives from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Pentagon, who were only permitted to speak as unnamed agency officials.
Among the comments:
Investigators have matched reports of drone activity with approaches to major airports.
«To date, there is no evidence of foreign-based involvement in deploying drones from marine vessels in the area,» stated a DHS official.
Out of 5,000 drone activity tips, less than 100 were «actionable,» according to an FBI official.
Drone sightings were reported in December over some military facilities, noted a Pentagon official, and were observed by «highly trained security personnel.»
«At this point, we have not identified any reason to believe that these drones are linked to criminal activity, pose a national security threat, present a specific public safety risk, or are connected to a malicious foreign actor,» another official remarked.
However, Americans want to know not only what these drones are not but also what they are.
A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey and the East Coast in the US in recent weeks. The reports have sparked speculation and concern over who sent them and why.